How do some companies regain public trust after something goes seriously wrong, while others fail? A look at how Tylenol responded after someone spiked its pills with poison in the 1980s sheds some light.
A Trusted Pill Turned Deadly. How Tylenol Made a Comeback
- Producers:
- Kit R. Roane
- Meral Agish
- Editor:
- Sandrine Isambert
When companies lose the public’s trust – whether it’s Facebook selling user data or United Airlines mistreating passengers – PR specialists scramble to head off a crisis. That strategy gained a foothold in 1982, when a mysterious killer spiked Tylenol with cyanide. Savvy PR decisions are credited with saving the company. So why do today’s corporate leaders have so much trouble learning how to respond?
TranscriptMore Like This
How Fear of the Measles Vaccine Took Hold
Skepticism and fear surrounding vaccines were fed by a flawed study done in 1998 linking the MMR vaccine to autism. The study was quickly discredited, we’re still dealing with the repercussions.
LSD Gets Another Look
LSD has long been associated with 1960s counterculture. Today, psychedelic drugs are back in the lab, providing hope for people who suffer from anxiety, depression and addiction.
The Modern Bystander Effect
Why don’t people intervene when they encounter violence streaming live online?
Thalidomide: Return of an Infamous Pill
How a pill that led to drug safety guidelines became a case study for rising drug prices.